


Puppy Love

by sepsner



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reverse Big Bang Challenge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-22
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-05 12:40:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12794772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sepsner/pseuds/sepsner
Summary: A local night jogger, Gabriel Reyes, has a run-in with a werewolf, and is determined to find out who it was. What he didn't expect was to start falling for the supernatural sweetheart!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [R76 RBB art](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/341064) by MaxKiki. 



> This is my half of the R76 reverse big bang! My wonderful artist's piece is on Tumblr, so make sure to check it out, too!

Gabriel had heard the stories. At a full moon, men afflicted by the curse will turn to beasts - werewolves, driven only by their bloodlust and animal instinct. Gabriel also knew that they were all horseshit.

So when his new neighbours warned him against late-night jogging because of the beasts, Gabriel laughed at their joke. Then he laughed at their serious faces. When he found out they weren’t laughing, he laughed even harder. Werewolves? What a hoot.

Gabriel’s days were always so busy, the only way he could stay fit was burning all of his energy off before bed. So, ignoring his neighbour’s obviously unfounded worries, Gabriel got himself ready to do his nightly run.

He jogged through the town, taking in the sights. The best way to familiarise yourself was a new area was to take the plunge and get yourself lost, and Gabriel loved getting lost. He ran past the closed pizza place, the still-open bar, and eventually found himself at the lip of the forest.

“Don’t go in the forest after dark,” Gabriel mocked, imitating his neighbours with a high-pitched voice. What a bunch of superstitious idiots.

The forest was just the way Gabriel liked his forests - untouched by man. It was a total mess. Trees had fallen and were rotting, there was no path, and mushrooms were thriving in the shadowy patches of land. Even in the quiet night, the forest was buzzing and crawling. Bugs, nocturnal birds, even bats - this forest was teeming with life. It radiated from the bark of the trees, and it hit Gabriel as soon as he stepped foot past the lip.

So when Gabriel heard leaves rustling and twigs cracking, he wasn’t afraid. Instead, a rush of excitement ran through him. Could it be a fox, or a badger? Gabriel patted his phone through the pocket of his sweatpants. This would be a great photo opportunity. Keeping his breathing quiet, Gabriel followed the noises, carefully tracking a figure shrouded in shadows.

It was big. Man-sized. Definitely not a badger. When the figure stopped and stood upright, showing the silhouette of his ears against the moon, Gabriel was hit by embarrassment. He had been tracking a man wearing ears as a prank. Was that why his neighbours were so fond of warning him about werewolves? Fuck, he had been tricked.

“Hey, dude, what are you doing here?” Gabriel called out, and the figure turned to face him. The moon shone against Gabriel’s face, highlighting a bead of sweat running down his forehead. From where he was standing, he couldn’t see the face of the figure, hidden in shadow. But the longer Gabriel stared, he noticed something. His ears were twitching. His tail was swishing. Gabriel’s blood ran cold. Those weren’t fake.

“What the fuck?”

The figure reared up, stretching to his full height, and Gabriel squeezed his eyes shut. He was no match against an honest-to-god werewolf, and for the first time, Gabriel wished he had listened to his dumb neighbours. He was going to die.

Every rustle of leaves made Gabriel jump, his hairs on edge, waiting for the searing pain of claws or teeth or something. There was nothing. Gabriel gulped, dreading what he would see when he opened his eyes. Could the wolf man please just attack already? Howl? Bark? Anything? Gabriel cracked open one of his eyes.

There was nothing but the moon, still shining on the trees. Gabriel fell to his knees, pooled in the saturated light. He panted, cold sweat still on his face. Any man would have counted his blessings, learned his lesson. Gone home. Never have another midnight run again.

Gabriel was not a smart man.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of the Reverse R76 Big Bang! Gabriel finally meets Jack, and has suspicions...
> 
> (Sorry for being a week late; family things threw off my schedule. Should be posting weekly from now on!)

Gabriel was distracted as hell at work the following day. Someone in his neighbourhood was a werewolf, and he had to get to the bottom of it. The rest of his neighbours were clearly shaken up about it - the sooner Gabriel found out who this wolfman was, the better. Then everyone would feel more comfortable walking the streets, and Gabriel would be the hero of the town.

 

Gabriel pulled out a fresh notebook from his office desk and wrote a header on the first page - POSSIBLE WEREWOLVES. So far, Gabriel had nothing. He turned the page and wrote a new header on the fresh page. ANTI-WOLF. He searched the crevices of his knowledge to think of any anti-werewolf tricks, writing them as he went.

 

Silver bullets. Well, he wasn’t going to shoot anyone, but maybe silver in general would work. How much  _ was _ silver nowadays anyway? A full moon. Obviously, this was going to be the easiest way to identify if anyone is or isn’t a werewolf. But if he waited for full moons to come around, Gabriel could be waiting for years. Fuck, what else was there? Dog whistles and treats? Did salt effect werewolves?

 

There was a cough behind him, and Gabriel scrambled to put his book away and at least look like he was working. He could find out more, later, after work. In the library.

 

Thankfully, the library in his town was open pretty late. Gabriel guessed there were a lot of people who liked midnight reading. Actually, that didn’t sound too bad - going out for a beer or two, then going to the library and picking up a random book to read… it would either be absolutely hilarious, or incredibly emotional. Gabriel shook the idea from his mind, setting out to find werewolf books.

 

Hopefully, anyone who saw him in the paranormal section would assume he only had a passing interest. Vampires, ghouls, zombies… oh, there. Werewolves. Gabriel skipped over the trashy romance and grabbed a few titles that seemed relevant.

 

“You’re interested in lycanthropy, huh?”

 

Gabriel almost dropped his books when a voice came from behind him.  _ Right _ behind him. Damn, how did anyone get so close without Gabriel realising? He turned to face the voice, and-- his blood ran cold and his heart stopped. For a moment, he felt like he was looking at the beast from the woods. But… nevermind. It was just a cute guy.

 

Oh, a  _ really _ cute guy.

Gabriel was suddenly hyper aware he was carrying a bunch of books about werewolves, probably staring at the man like a lunatic. “Uh, nah,” Gabriel lied, trying to play his mania off like it was nothing, “I’m just… you know, researching. For a novel. A novel I’m writing.”

What the fuck, Gabriel? First werewolves, now you’re writing a  _ novel _ ? Gabriel kicked himself. What a goddamn idiot.

“Really?” The guy smiled at him. He totally knew Gabe was bullshitting, or was at least playing his dumb game, but either way, he knew that the novel thing was bullshit. But, damn, the way his baby blues sparkled when he gave Gabriel a pity smile… he could end up writing a real novel, just about those eyes. He didn’t even realise that the man - a librarian, judging by his lanyard - had been talking to him until he frowned.

“Are you alright?” His brow furrowed and he leaned into Gabriel, making Gabriel lean back away from him.

“What?” Gabriel took a step back. “Yeah. Sorry. No sleep. Busy with the novel. So many words. Gonna check these out.”

The librarian seemed confused as all hell as Gabriel pushed past him, and honestly, Gabriel didn’t blame him. Fuck, he had just made himself look like a space cadet in front of a cute guy. He was too gay and too soft for cute boys to just be appearing behind him with no warning. At least he’d never have to see the librarian again - or, if he did, it would just be to bring the books back. Gabriel could lie about the novel again, and maybe make himself look less like an idiot.

After checking the books out (with a self-serving machine, so Gabriel didn’t have the chance to be awkward in front of anyone else), Gabriel headed home in shame. But, thank god, the interaction was over, and he was home alone. He never had to see the librarian again.

Until the librarian was right on his doorstep.

Gabriel had almost forgotten about the interaction in the library, throwing himself into his borrowed books. So when he heard a knock at the door, the last person he expected to see was the blonde bombshell that he had completely lost control in front of.

As Gabriel stared, stunned that the librarian had somehow found where he lived, the blonde laughed. “It  _ is _ you! When I saw you at the library, I was hoping my new neighbour had something to do with it.” The librarian put his hands on his hips and flashed Gabriel a smile, and Gabriel felt himself melting a little inside. “My name’s Jack Morrison, I live next door.”

Gabriel was utterly floored. What were the chances of the cute boy from the library being his  _ neighbour _ ? Play it cool Gabe. “Gabriel Reyes.” He stuck his hand out, and the librarian - Jack - took it with both of his, shaking it heartily.

“So,” Jack chimed, “did you move here with your… wife?” He quickly changed his tune when Gabriel pulled a face, clearly communicating,  _ you really think I’m straight? _ , adding, “or your husband?”

“Nope,” Gabriel replied, trying to pull his hand away, “it’s just me.”

“Huh.” Jack finally let go of Gabriel’s hand, returning his own to his hips. “If you need anything, give me a holler. I’m great at installing shelves. Especially if you need any help when you’re writing your novel.”

“Right.” Gabriel gulped, watching Jack’s face turn smug. Yeah, he was definitely trying to call him out on his bullshit. “I should really… get back to that. My novel. I love writing.”

He put a hand on his door, and Jack seemed to take the hint. “Alright, alright. See you around, Gabe. Can I call you Gabe? Catch you later.”

Gabriel tutted and closed the door, locking it behind him. Okay, if there was anyone he suspected to be a werewolf, Jack was going to be number one, just from being… so damn  _ weird _ . Still, he couldn’t deny that his neighbour was pretty cute. At least there was that, even if all he knew about Gabriel was that he was a fake author.

Gabriel went back to his desk, his books on werewolves spread all over the surface. He dug through the pages and found his notebook, taken from work. The first page, POSSIBLE WEREWOLVES, was still empty. Swiftly and surely, Gabriel scribbled down his first suspect - Jack Morrison.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one in which Gabriel gets a date and almost sets his table on fire.

When Gabriel returned the books a few days later, he didn’t intend on avoiding the cute librarian. Instead, Gabriel went searching for Jack. Eventually, he found him, organising the YA section. Time to turn on the charm.   
  


Gabriel’s plan was bulletproof. He’d invite Jack over for dinner, under guise of a date, and run a few tests on him. He had gotten together some dog treats and a dog whistle, as well as a silver necklace he would get Jack to hold, somehow. If he didn’t pass the tests, well, he was a werewolf. And if he did pass them, hell. Gabriel would have gotten a nice date night.   
  


Wait, how would he even start a conversation with a librarian, let alone flirt with one? “So,” Gabriel cleared his throat, “books, huh?” Flawless.   
  


“What?” Jack turned around, looking at him like he had just said that out of nowhere. Wait, shit. That’s what Gabriel just did. What kind of weirdo did Jack think he was  _ now _ ?   
  


“Sorry,” Gabriel mumbled, trying to think of something a normal person would say, not some loser who had a bit of a crush on a possible werewolf. “I mean… books, am I right? No, fuck.”   
  


Jack snorted, holding his novels against his jutted hip. “You like books, huh?”   
  


“Probably not as much as you.” Gabriel smirked, then caught himself. “I mean, not as much as you do, but I guess I also mean I don’t like books as much as I like you. Books don’t have such a nice smile.” There we go, getting into the groove. Gabriel Reyes, you smooth motherfucker.   
  


“Cute,” Jack laughed. “Do you say that to every librarian you flirt with, or just the ones lucky enough to catch you checking out the weird books?”   
  


Gabriel folded his arms, huffing. “I told you, it was for my novel.”   
  


“Oh, yeah.” Jack narrowed his eyes. “Your  _ novel _ .”   
  


“I don’t like the way you just said that.”   
  


Jack laughed again, and Gabriel could feel his heart melting. “Okay, okay, I believe you. So what’s it about?”   
  


“I, uh, I  _ could _ tell you,” Gabriel replied, leaning against a shelf of books and trying to play it cool, “or I could invite you over for dinner.”   
  


“Hmm,” Jack mused, rubbing his chin. “Do I want to hear about your obviously fake novel--”   
  


“Hey,” Gabriel grumbled.   
  


“-- or go on a date with an awkward hunk?”   
  


“ _Hey_.” Gabriel huffed. “I’m not awkward.”  
  


Jack chuckled, making Gabriel pout. Was he really being that awkward? He had eventually managed to ask Jack out, despite the awful opening line. Shit, he  _ was _ awkward.   
  


“Alright,” Jack replied, snapping Gabriel from his trance, “I can come over for dinner. Tonight?”   
  


“Tonight,” Gabriel grinned. Hell, he found himself looking forward to the date than to exposing Jack. Focus, Gabe. Don’t get distracted by a boy, even if that boy was cute and had dreamy eyes.  _ Shit _ .   
  


“Then I’ll see you later.” Jack smiled again, the smile that made Gabriel’s heart melt and cloud his thoughts over. “No need to pick me up.”   
  


The perks of dating a neighbour, Gabriel supposed. He left the library, now book-free and with a date to prepare for. There was no way he wanted Jack to see his new werewolf obsession, so as soon as he walked through the door, Gabriel went about cleaning his office. The werewolf stuff was everywhere, all over his desk and on his walls, notes and photocopies. Jesus, Gabriel thought to himself, this was borderline an obsession.   
  


He spent the next half hour cleaning his office, trying his best to make it look… well. Normal. The page of suspects (which no longer included just Jack, but also a bitter old woman who lived across the road and Craig the postman) was folded and hidden amongst his other papers, the photocopies thrown in the recycling bin. He’d retrieve them later, when Jack wasn’t around.   
  


Gabriel had almost forgotten to clean the rest of the house, as well as leaving dog treats on the table. There, everything was ready for the nig--  _ Gabriel hadn’t made dinner _ . As the realisation sunk in, there was a knock on his door. Jack was here. Could he get away with ordering food? Shit, he didn’t have time to panic.   
  


Eventually, Gabriel calmed himself enough to open the door, and damn. Jack looked good. Was he wearing a fancy jacket? Had he put cologne on? Come on, Gabriel. Don’t be distracted by the cute boy.   
  


Gabriel composed himself and took a step back. “Come in.”

  
Jack took the offer and crossed the boundary into Gabriel’s home, looking around. What a snoopy bastard. “You’ve already made yourself at home, then? I was expecting boxes.”  
  


“Yeah,” Gabriel replied, closing the door and following Jack as he explored his living room. Gabriel glanced at the dog treats, the packet open and treats spilling onto the table. “I’ve been here a little while now. Started moving in about a week ago…”   
  


“Do you have a dog?” Ah-ha, Jack had noticed the treats, much to Gabriel’s glee. He watched Jack carefully, as if expecting him to lean down and eat once.   
  


“No,” he started, eyes on Jack. “but my sister came over with her dog. Forgot to put those away.” He wanted Jack to at least sniff them, or look at the packaging a little closer. But Jack didn’t do any of those things, and just looked back at Gabriel.   
  


“What kind of dog is it?”   
  


Gabriel had to hide his disappointment. “It’s cute. A little retriever mix.”   
  


“Aw, I love retrievers.” Was being a dog lover enough to prove that Jack was a werewolf? No, no. Otherwise, Gabriel would be a werewolf, too. And he was pretty sure that he wasn’t one.   
  


“They’re cute. Oh, make yourself at home.”   
  


Jack sat himself down on the sofa, and Gabriel thought through the plan so far. Well, Jack hadn’t eaten the dog treats, so that was one failed test. Thankfully, he still had two more tricks up his sleeve. Sadly, he had to also host a dinner date - it was time to face the very human situation that he had put himself into.   
  


“So, uh,” Gabriel scratched the back of his head. God, he really didn’t want to be here. Why didn’t he focus more on dinner than on trying to out Jack? Because he was an idiot, of course. “I haven’t actually made any dinner. Or planned it. Or done anything. I was busy cleaning and completely forgot the ‘dinner’ part of the dinner date.”   
  


Jack frowned and leaned back against the sofa. “Oh.” Shit, did Gabriel fuck up? “Is that why you left the dog treats out? To be my appetiser?”   
  


“Well, eat them if you want.” Please, Gabriel thought, please eat them. Give me something, anything, that might prove you’re a werewolf. “But that wasn’t my intention. I was thinking more along the lines of ordering in, instead?”   
  


Jack snorted. “What, Chinese takeaway for a date?”   
  


“Well, why not?”   
  


Just when Gabriel thought Jack’s stare meant he had  _ really _ fucked up, the blonde cracked a smile and laughed. “You have a point. Alright, let’s have takeout. It’s probably better than anything you could make, too.”   
  


“Hey! That’s uncalled for.”   
  


The two of them ordered dinner and, sadly, Jack didn’t eat any of the dog treats. Damn. Good thing Gabriel had more ways to catch him out, and finally threw out the treats. Enough of this dog stink in the house. As they waited for the food to come, Gabriel asked Jack if he’d help him set the table. While Gabriel was lighting candles, Jack had gone to retrieve the plates and cutlery from the kitchen.   
  


Gabriel almost set fire to the tablecloth when he heard metal hitting the floor, and Jack howling in pain.   
  


“What just happened?” Gabriel ran into the kitchen, expecting to see Jack spurting blood all over the place. Instead, Jack was just holding onto his wrist, his hand locked up in a spasm.   
  


“Sorry,” Jack gasped, “my hand--”   
  


“Are you okay?” Gabriel touched the small of Jack’s back, rubbing it slightly. Maybe his hands just  _ did _ that sometimes? He didn’t want to ask, just in case. “You need anything?”   
  


“It’s fine. Sorry. I just need to…” Jack shrugged Gabriel from him and moved to the sink. He ran the tap and dunked his hand under the water, sighing from instant relief.   
  


“It’s okay. I can set the table while you sort yourself out.”   
  


“No, hey… why do you have fancy silver, anyway? It’s just takeout. No need to go all out for little old me.”   
  


Jack seemed insistent, and Gabriel couldn’t help but feel a little suspicious. What was his deal? “If you say so,” Gabriel replied, picking up the dropped cutlery and putting it into the sink. “Hopefully this didn’t ruin the evening for you.”   
  


“Not at all.” Jack turned the tap off, then wiped his hand on his pants. “Don’t worry about it.”   
  


Gabriel didn’t worry about it. Their dinner arrived, and the two of them ate on fancy plates with cheap wooden chopsticks and poorly made plastic forks. “This is different,” Gabriel hummed, shovelling rice into his mouth.   
  


“What, the food, or being on a date and showing off your piss poor table manners?”   
  


“Hey, now. I meant the food.” Still, Gabriel actually swallowed before he kept going. “The nearest Chinese restaurant in the last town I was living in was pretty crummy. Hell, the whole neighbourhood was a bunch of white people, there were like, five non-white households. It was kind of creepy.”   
  


Jack laughed, somewhat unsure. Gabriel picked up on it - he probably wasn’t sure if Gabriel was digging at Jack, or something. “This neighbourhood is better, though. I feel safer than being in the big city.”   
  


“You used to live in the city?” Jack’s eyes widened. “I’ve always been a country boy. I didn’t have neighbours for the first eighteen years of my life. It was all farmland, until I started going to college.”   
  


Gabriel asked Jack more about his studies, and Jack shrugged it off, trying to play modesty about his English degree. Jack, in return, asked about Gabriel’s life in the city, and Gabriel went into the details of his experiences in the city. Jack seemed impressed, until Gabriel told him about how much of the city actually smelled like sewage. The face Jack pulled was enough to make Gabriel burst into laughter.   
  


With the way the night was going, Gabriel almost forgot to run his next test. He excused himself into the kitchen, promising wine. “Wine and Chinese takeout?” Jack laughed in response, but didn’t question further. After pulling out two flute glasses, Gabriel found the dog whistle.   
  


He blew it, steady, silence filling his ears. As quickly as he could, Gabriel hid the dog whistle again, then found the wine.   
  


He strode back into the dining room, holding the glasses in one hand, and the bottle in another. “Did you hear that noise?”   
  


“I did,” Jack replied. Gabriel had to try and hide his excitement. “I was wondering what that was.”   
  


Gabriel had gotten him right where he wanted him. Hell yes. “I hope it’s not my boiler or anything.”   
  


“No, it sounded more like… a whistle? Maybe it’s some kids messing around.”   
  


“Heh, maybe.” Gabriel put the glasses down in front of Jack. “Wine?”   
  


Gabriel didn’t bring up the whistling noise for the rest of the night and tried to just enjoy the date, even if it was almost definitely with a werewolf. And, strangely, he did. Jack was pretty, and had such stunning blue eyes, but it was more than that - he wasn’t afraid to tease Gabriel, and didn’t seem to mind when Gabriel teased back. Plus, he was pretty buff, and mentioned about how he didn’t mind getting dirty.   
  


Shit, Gabriel realised when Jack went home, he was  _ totally _ his type. Double shit, Gabriel realised shortly after, he didn’t try out the silver necklace. How could he try and get Jack to touch the necklace tomorrow? Would that be too suspect?   
  


Except, he wouldn’t have to. Gabriel started washing his dirty dishes, turning the cutlery in his hands, then had a realisation. Jack hadn’t been hurt by the cutlery. Well, he  _ had _ , but not because he had been cut. It was silver. The silver had made an adverse reaction to his skin and burnt it. “Holy shit,” Gabriel whispered. Sure, he had suspected that Jack was a werewolf, but to have it practically  _ confirmed _ for him… well, it was kind of overwhelming.   
  


His neighbour was a werewolf. Almost definitely. Gabriel wasn’t unsure what to do with this information, so he did what he usually did when he was confused, or angry, or upset - he prepared himself for a nightly run. Maybe Gabriel was still excited over uncovering a mystery, or was still full of adrenaline because of being on a date with a  _ werewolf _ . So he ran.   
  


Eventually, Gabriel reached the clearing that he and the werewolf - the werewolf that was  _ Jack _ , which was wild - had first met. Gabriel sat down, catching his breath, and couldn’t help but wonder what Jack’s life must have been like. Did he only turn on full moons? Was this why the library was open so late? Did he need to go  _ hunting _ ? Learning this was too much, and Gabriel had so many questions.   
  


The main problem was, naturally, how was he going to approach Jack about this? Should he even do that? How would he get Jack alone, where their neighbours wouldn’t overhear.   
  


His runs. Of course.   
  


Gabriel ran back to his house. His plan was foolproof. He’d ask Jack to go out on an evening run with him, then bring him to the clearing and confront him. Hopefully, Jack wouldn’t turn on him that night. Upon returning to his home, Gabriel realised he didn’t have Jack’s phone number or email address. Ugh, he’d have to make due with writing a note.

  
Jack,

I had a great time tonight. I really hope you did too.  
I was wondering if you wanted to go on a run tomorrow night with me?  
You seem like the athletic type, and you could show me around town a little more too.

Gabe.   
  


Perfect. Gabriel slid the letter under Jack’s door, also including his mobile number, then returned home, excited. As soon as Gabriel had Jack where he wanted him, and Jack couldn’t run away, he could finally get to the bottom of this.


End file.
